Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool



July 24, 1956 s FURST 2,755,857

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AN END OF A THREAD FROM A SPOOL.

Filed Dec. 20, 1951 IN VEN TOR. 5 TE F N F0 R 57 APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AN END OF A TAD FROM A SPOOL Stefan Fiirst, M. Gladbach, Germany, assignor to Walter Reiners, Waldniel (Lower Rhine), Germany Application December 20, 1951, Serial No. 262,532 Claims priority, application Germany December 27, 1950 9 Claims. (Cl. 164-47) The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool of the type used in automatic spinning machines, for example.

In automatic spinning machines it is customary to have a thread end located between the spool and driving member therefor at the start of the winding of the thread on the spool, and this thread end presents certain difiiculties in the use of the spool after the thread has been wound thereon. Devices such as knives and the like have been provided to remove this thread end, but these devices have in general proved to be unsatisfactory because the knives soon get dull and for various other reasons.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device for automatically unwinding a thread end from a spool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for locating a thread end in an advantageous position preparatory to being removed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for tearing or cutting the thread end from the spool.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device, capable of accomplishing the above objects, which is of a simple construction and which is reliable in operation.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a nozzle having an inner tube located within and spaced from an outer tube, the latter being provided with an inwardly extending annular flange at one end thereof and the inner tube having at an end adjacent to the annular flange, an outer diameter which is at least substantially equal to the smallest diameter of the annularfiange. The inner tube is mounted for axial movement within the outer tube so that it may be moved into and out of engagement with the annular flange to grip a thread between the tubes. The annular flange and end of the inner tube adjacent thereto may be formed with cutting edges to cut an end of a thread located in the space between the tubes, and a suction may be provided in this space to draw an end of a thread thereinto.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of a spool having thread wound thereon and parts associated with the spool;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of a spool associatedwith the device of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of an embodiment of the invention slightly different from that illustrated in Fig. 2; and

2,755,857 Patented July 24, 1956 Fig. 5 is a view of the embodiment of Fig. 4 in a different position thereof.

Referring now tothe drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a spool 1" supportedon the tray 24 and having the right end 3 thereof engaged by the member 5 which drives the spool 1 so as v to wind, thread thereon. Preparatory to winding thread on the spool 1, the end 2 of the thread is wound spirally about'the end 3 ofthe spool and is gripped between the extremity 4 of spool end 3 and the member 5, as is. illustrated in Fig. 1.

After the thread is wound on the spool, it is necessary to removethe end 2 thereof. In order to do this, the end 3 of the spool is placed within a nozzle 8, as shown in Figs. 2-5. The end 3 of the spool 1 may be located within the nozzle 8 either manually or mechanically, and the spool 1. rests onthe tray 24 while the end 3 thereof is within the nozzle 8. The nozzle 8 may be entirely independent of the driving member 5 sothat the spool is moved from member 5 to member 8, or the spool'may remain stationary while member 5 is moved away from the spool and nozzle 8 is movedinto position thereon.

The, nozzle 8, as is shown in Fig. 4, comprises an outer tube '7, fixedly mounted on a stationary support 20 by any suitable means, such as bolts 21. Thetube 8 is provided at its left end, as viewed in the drawings, with an inwardly extending annular flange. The support 20 is bored to slidably support an ejector member 12 which, at one end thereof, is engaged by the cam 32. This ejector member 12 has fixedly mounted thereon, adjacent the cam 32, a collar 22, and a coil spring 23' is mounted about the ejector 12 between the support 20 and collar 22 to urge the, ejector 12 against the cam 32. The ejector 12- has theleft end: thereof, as viewed in the drawings, enlarged.

Located within and spaced from the outer tube 7' is an inner. tube 6- having a bored end wall slidably mounted on the ejector 12 between the support 20 and the enlarged end of ejector 12. A coil spring 24 is mounted about the ejector 12 between the support 20 and end wall of tube 6 to urge the latter against the enlarged end of ejector 12.

The wall of tube 7 is bored to receive a tube 25 which communicates with the space between the tubes 6 and 7. Any air pump or the like may be connected to the tube 25 to produce a suction in this space.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the left end of tube 6, which has an outer diameter at least as large as the inner diameter of the annular flange of tube '7, is adapted to be moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, to grip a thread 2 between the tubes 6 and 7. It is to be understood that the parts shown in Fig. 4 are associated with the structures of Figs. 2 and 5.

When the spool end 3 is placed within the inner tube 6, shown in Fig. 2, the suction within the space between the tubes 6 and 7' draws the thread end 2 into the space and unwinds the thread end 2 from the spool up to the starting point of the thread on the spool. Fig. 3 illustrates in dotted lines momentary positions of the thread 2 as it is unwound from end 3 of the spool by suction within the space between tubes 6 and 7.

Rotation of cam 32 moves ejector member 12 to the left, as viewed in the drawings, and spring 24 holds the tube. 6 in engagement with the left end of ejector member 12 so that the tube 6 moves into engagement with the flange of tube 7 to grip the thread 21, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2. Continued rotation of the cam 32 causes the ejector member to move to the left with respect to the tube 6 and this movement ejects the spool from the tube 6 and simultaneously tears off the end of thread 2 within the space between tubes 6 and 7.

Continued rotation of cam 32 causes spring 23' to ove. ejector member 12 to. the right, as viewed in the.

drawings, and this ejector member 12 eventually engages the tube 6 to move the same away from the flange of tube 8, spring 23 being stronger than spring 24.

The embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is of the same construction as that shown in Fig. 2 except that the annular flange of tube 7' is provided with an inner annular cutting edge 9 and the left end of inner tube 6' is provided with a cutting edge 10, so that when tube 6 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 4, to that shown in Fig. 5, in the manner described above, the thread 2 will be cut by the edges 9 and 10 instead of being torn from the thread on the spool by movement of the ejector member 12.

After the thread end 2 is cut, only a short length 2' thereof remains on the spool, as is shown in Fig. 5.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of apparatus for removing a thread end from a spool differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for unwinding and removing a thread end from a spool, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising in combination, an outer tube having at one end thereof an inwardly extending annular flange; and an inner tube spaced from said outer tube and being mounted within the same for axial movement toward and away from said one end of said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer diameter, at an end thereof adjacent to said flange, which is at least substantially equal ot the smallest diameter of said annular flange so that said end of said inner tube will engage said flange upon movement toward the latter, whereby, when a thread end is located in the space between said tubes, it will be gripped, by engagement of said annular flange and inner tube, preparatory to being separated from the spool.

2. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising in combination, an outer tube having at one end thereof an inwardly extending; annular flange; an inner tube spaced from said outer tube and being mounted within the same for axial movement toward and away from said one end of said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer diameter, at an end thereof adjacent to said flange, which is at least substantially equal to the smallest diameter of said annular flange so that said end of said inner tube will engage said flange upon movement toward the latter; and an ejector member mounted within said inner tube for axial reciprocating movement therein, whereby, when a spool end is located within said inner tube and a thread end is located in the space between said tubes, the thread end will be gripped, by engagement of said annular flange and inner tube, preparatory to being separated from the spool and the spool will be ejected from the inner tube by movement of said ejector member.

3. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising in combination, an outer tube having at one end thereof an inwardly extending annular flangepro vided with an inner cutting edge; and an inner tube spaced from said outer tube and being mounted within the same for axial movement toward and-away from said o'ne end of said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer diameter, at an end thereof adjacent to said flange, which is substantially equal to the smallest diameter of said annular flange so that said end of said inner tube will engage said flange upon movement toward the latter and said inner tube being provided with an annular cutting edge at said end thereof, whereby, when a thread end is located in the space between said tubes, it will be cut by engagement of said annular flange and inner tube, so as to be separated from the spool.

4. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising in combination, an outer tube having at one end thereof an inwardly extending annular flange provided with an inner cutting edge; an inner tube spaced from said outer tube and being mounted within the same for axial movement toward and away from said one end of said outer tube, said inner tube having an outer diameter, at an end thereof adjacent to said flange, which is substantially equal to the smallest diameter of said annular flange so that said end of said inner tube will engage said flange upon movement toward the latter and said inner tube being provided with an annular cutting edge at said end thereof; and an ejector member mounted within said inner tube for axial reciprocating movement therein, whereby, when a spool end is located within said inner tube and a thread end is located in the space between said tubes, the thread end will be cut by engagement of said annular flange and inner tube, so as to be separated from the spool, and the spool will be ejected from the inner tube by movement of said ejector member.

5. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising in combination, a stationary support formed with an opening passing therethrough; an outer tube fixed at one end thereof to said stationary support and having an inwardly extending annular flange at an opposite end thereof, said outer tube being located about said opening; an elongated ejector member slidably extending through said opening and having one end portion, which is enlarged and located within said outer tube, and an opposite end portion located on an opposite side of said support from said outer tube; cam means located on said opposite side of said support and engaging said opposite end portion of said ejector member for reciproeating the same; an inner tube located within said outer tube and being spaced from the same, said inner tube having an end wall adjacent to said support, located between the latter and said one end portion of said ejector member, and mounted on the latter for sliding movement with respect thereto, said inner tube being of a shorter length than said outer tube and having an outer diameter adjacent to said annular flange which is at least substantially equal to the smallest diameter of the latter; a collar fixedly mounted on said ejector member between said support and cam means; a first spring located between said collar and support for urging said one end portion of said ejector member toward said support; and a second spring weaker than said first spring and being mounted on said ejector member between said support and end wall of said inner tube for urging the latter against said enlarged end portion of said ejector member; and duct means communicating with the space between said tubes to enable a suction force to be produced in said space.

6. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool, comprising, in combination, an outer tube having an inwardly extending annular flange at one end thereof; and an inner tube located in said outer tube for movement therein toward and away from a position where an end of said inner tube engages said flange of said outer tube, so that a thread located between said inner and outer tubes will be engaged by said tubes when said inner tube is in said position where said end thereof engages said flange of said outer tube.

7. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool comprising, in combination, an outer tube having at one end thereof an engaging edge; and an inner tube having an engaging edge at one end thereof and located in said outer tube for movement therein toward and away from an engaging position where said engaging edges thereof engage each other, so that a thread located between said inner and outer tubes will be engaged by said engaging edges of said tubes when said inner tube is in said engaging position thereof.

8. Apparatus for removing an end of a thread from a spool comprising, in combination, a tubular member having an inner engaging surface portion; an inner cylindrical member having an outer engaging surface portion and located in said tubular member for movement therein between inoperative position with said engaging surface portions spaced from each other and separating position with said engaging surface portions moved into contact with each other; suction means for sucking a thread end portion of a thread wound on said spool into the space between said engaging surface portions of said members when the same are in inoperative position spaced from each other; and operating means for moving said members from inoperative into separating position while said thread end portion is sucked by said suction means into the space between said members.

9. Apparatus of the type described comprising, in combination, a tubular member having an inwardly facing engaging surface portion; an inner cylindrical member having an outwardly facing engaging surface portion and located in said tubular member; and operating means for moving said members relative to each other toward and away from an engaging position wherein said engaging surface portions thereof engage each other, so that a thread located between said members will be engaged by said engaging surface portions thereof when said members are in said engaging position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,770 Taylor Aug. 14, 1934 1,978,826 Walton Oct. 30, 1934 2,449,328 Schweiter Sept. 14, 1948 

